Rating: 
Summary: for some, truly "lost in translation"
Review: "Lost in Translation" continues Bill Murray's current fondness for taking offbeat, fitting, and somewhat less commercial (than his past) roles, in movies including this and Wes Anderson's "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums". All have been beautifully made movies with perfectly acted roles by Murray, and "Lost in Translation" is no exception. This movie was one of a small group of movies (which I can count on one hand) that has left me with a real appreciation of the beauty that's possible in film, and in some ways, in life; It's also very funny, and I recommend it highly. However, it's apparently not for all tastes, despite it's beauty and hilarious moments. It's apparently (based on several other reviews) not for those with short attention spans or without an appreciation for true cinema art, which this is. It is NOT boring, though, and it IS very funny. And I for one was cheering for Bill Murray during the Oscars. All in all, a great movie and another excellent longterm career choice for Bill Murray.
Rating: 
Summary: subtle, subtle, oh so subtle
Review: Have you ever gone away on a summer vacation or somewhere outside of your bubble, came across an individual that you connected with on many levels and spent hours or days enjoying their company until you part, never to see that person again, yet changed in so many ways by the experience? Essentially that is the plot of Lost in Translation and if you've ever had that kind of experience more than likely you will come away touched by this beautifully moving, emotionally touching film. If you like your films plot driven instead of character driven, then this film isn't for you. There's isn't much else to tell about Lost. Two lonely hearts, alienated by their personal lives and befuddled by Tokyo's cultural and communicational differences, reach out to each other, bond on many different levels while exploring Tokyo and learn more about who they are along the way. When the final frame concluded, I found myself sobbing in my chair. I have been fortunate enough to have a similar experience (although not in Tokyo) and was incredibly touched by Lost in Translation. Murray is fantastic and subtle, Johansson is a breath of fresh air, Coppola's direction and cinematography is superb and the soundtrack is flawless. Although definitely Oscar worthy on all counts, I think the media hype hurt rather than helped the film. Some people who saw this based on the hype came away disappointed and frustrated (see any of the one or two starred reviews below). See this film ONLY if you meant to see it before it got all the media recognition. In closing, I don't think Coppola was trying to be artsy or trying to send a message. I think she was honestly trying to show two lonely people connecting with each other on a personal face-to-face level. We seem to have forgotten how to do that in our cell phone/laptop/PDA obsessed society. Nice work Sophia. Very nice work.
Rating: 
Summary: What was all the fuss?
Review: I can't deny that Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanson (Johansen?) had a certain chemistry, and there were a few moments that were funny and sad at the same time, but the overwhelming feeling from seeing this movie is the same trapped, bored feeling that the lead characters felt. Yes, we get it, Japan is a foreign culture and they both feel trapped in their lives. I saw this movie because it was on so many "Best" lists, and the reviews used words like "hilarious" and "heartfelt." Don't be fooled. This is not hilarious. It may be heartfelt, but the dazed and sleepy dialogue really threatens to leave you with eyes glazing over, desperately wanting something to happen. Here's the secret: it's a cute character study, but nothing ever happens.
Rating:
Summary: NOT A COMEDY!!!!!
Review: What is going on with you people? One star reviews for one of the most resonate motion pictures of the year??? This movie contains the most real acting I've seen in 2003 outside of 21 Grams. The atmosphere is beautifully layered with elements of thoughtful speculation, light humor, the neon glaze of Tokyo, and a very deep melancholy. I cannot understand how anyone with an interest in people and relationships can dislike this movie! If you were expecting a typical Bill Murray flick and didn't get that, blame the product placements and ads, not an amazing and unique movie such as this. "Lost in Translation" was never intended to be mainstream, but after such critical acclaim and Bill Murray in the title role it had no other choice. I can understand some people who expected pure comedy being dissapointed, but how can anyone not be delighted with a movie as real and hearfelt as this? Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanson are complex and endearing characters. The direction is perfectly subtle as it allows us to simply watch these two interact with each other and the environment around them, slowly building a relationship beyond what they can understand. There is humor, but it plays a supporting role, as it does in life. So lets set the record straight--do not buy or rent this movie if all you want is the typical Bill Murray fare, because you WILL NOT get it. What you will get is a film of great atmosphere and depth, with wonderful performances, and very real emotions. It is a subtle film, but a great one. Try to watch it without expectations, and give the film its due attention. P.S. The long conversation scene in the hotel room at night is an amazing feat of acting and direction.
Rating: 
Summary: BORING!!!
Review: This has got to be the most boring movie I have ever watched. I just kept waiting for it to get better but it never did. It was a waste of my time and all the plots lines they could have pursued, they didn't. It was a major disappointment since I like Bill Murray and the previews for this movie made it seem a lot different than it was. Of all the people I have talked to that have seen it, I don't know a single one that actually liked it. Not a good choice Bill.
Rating:
Summary: Almost everyone should be able to take something from this .
Review: 'Wow' is all I can say ... Sophia Coppola has just made up for ruining Godfather III. This is just a wonderfully simple movie about the idea that some of the most touching moments in your life may be some of the briefest. Coppola also does a terrific job of conveying that disconnected feeling that you can get when you travel to another country. As if the world is still moving, but you're no longer a part of it, you're wandering around outside of it all. I really could go on for an hour about all the ideas that Coppola, very subtly, pushes out there for her audience to think about. What really impresses me though is that she managed to convey all of these themes without beating the audience (i.e. - me) over the head. She really leaves A LOT out there for people to discover themselves. I find that refreshing. This is an intelligent movie that really is a must-see. It's every bit as good as it was hyped up to be.
Rating:
Summary: 290 "1" star reviews - What's wrong with this movie?
Review: I had to watch "Lost In Translation" on a Saturday morning in order to get through it (I fell asleep 2x at night). Don't watch this movie if you're even the slightest bit tired - it WILL put you to sleep. I kept waiting for something important, something relevant, or something even the slightest bit exciting to happen... and it never did. All the Oscar hype was pure insanity. Being a big Bill Murray fan, I HAD to see this movie. Murray has some classic movies on his resume - "Ground Hog Day", "What About Bob?", "Caddyshack", "Rushmore", etc... but by no means is this one of his best. I do not stand alone on Amazon (as of 3/8/04, there are 290 "1" star reviews). Bill Murray plays Bob Harris. Scarlette Johansson plays Charlotte. The movie focuses on these two sad lonely individuals on the other side of the world... in this case at the Park Hyatte Hotel in Tokyo. Bob Harris is making TV commercials for Suntory Whiskey. Charlotte had nothing else to do, so she followed her young photographer husband on a photo shoot. Giovanni Ribisi (as husband John) has a small role in the beginning and then he just disappears (what happened to him?). This movie is strictly about the dialogue between lonely Bob & Charlotte. There are some great shots of the city of Tokyo, a funny scene in a karaoke bar, and lots of boring talk and people staring out of windows. Other reviewers have said that "Lost In Translation" is heavy on atmosphere, light and mood. I'll give props to the guy holding the camera and the guy turning the lights on, but for me to sit and watch a movie... it has to be at least semi-interesting. After reading and hearing so much hype about this movie, it was such a huge let down. This movie was an utter waste of time. Borrrrring!
Rating:
Summary: Promising Failure
Review: The problem with this movie is that it doesn't really know what it wants to say. It is artfully done, however, with a lot of quiet, gentle touches, and it is very pretty to look at, so you're not supposed to notice. But it takes no risks, and leaves you nothing to mull over when you walk out of the theater. It's a bit of fluff--a pretty bit of fluff to be sure--but a bit of fluff nevertheless. What is bizarre is that this beginner's piece has garnered so much solemn critical praise. Bill Murray plays an actor who is in Tokyo to take part in a commercial for some kind of booze. He hates Tokyo, he hates Japan, and he hates the commercial he is doing. From the telephone conversations he has with his wife and the faxes that are sent to him from his family, we are meant to realize that he doesn't particularly care about them either. He's completely bored and cynical about everything, and he sits around in the hotel lounge in the evening listening to awful lounge music and drinking. In the meantime, we are told that for this job he is making two million dollars, and he is accosted on several occasions by strangers who recognize him from the many film roles he played earlier in his career. He is thankless for all that he has and for all that he has been able to do, and is an utterly unlikable, contemptible human being. So far, so good. Undoubtedly, there are hundreds if not thousands of people like this in Hollywood, stewing in their juices because of some idiotic part they didn't get, or angry that they must travel to Japan or Australia for a publicity stunt they consider to be beneath their dignity. Oh, how one yearns for a contemporary movie like this, one which satirically exposes the over-inflated ego and vapidity of the Hollywood star. But unfortunately, very early on, we realize that this is not going to be the case. Instead we are meant to empathize with this Murray character. We are supposed to feel sorry for him! The Japanese really are goofy and buffoonish. Their city really is a pinball machine, with neon electronica, videos and shallowness portrayed everywhere. They don't understand English--the clods--no matter how condescendingly Mr. Murray tries to explain things to them. All of the jokes, few as they are, are made at the expense of the Japanese. Murray is taller than them. He looks at us bleakly over their heads. They greet him every morning in an ingratiatingly polite manner. He's bored. He makes ugly jokes about their food, comparing it at one point to his new friend's bruise: "Black toe," he derisively orders. They don't understand. We're supposed to laugh. How wonderful it would be for the Sushi chef to announce to him that he indeed understands English, and crack him over the head with a rolling pin. But no. The chef instead is an incomprehending, smiling moron, and the smirking Mr. Murray is oh so clever. So he meets this girl--freshly graduated from Yale, very pretty and improbably a philosophy major--who is just as lonely as he. (Will Hollywood please stop trying to portray philosophy or math or science majors? They can't.) Her husband is a photographer and he's gone all the time, so one night she buys Mr. Murray--thirty years her senior--a drink, and they subsequently go out and do a few things together, and oh, how touching, they help to make each other feel a little less lonely. They never have sex. And that's the plot. But what in the world are we supposed to think about this? That Japan is some sort of lost hell in which white people must cling to one another? That beautiful young women far from home can be comforted by cynical, drunken old men? Really, and seriously, what is the point? There is a moment or two when it appears that the director, Sofia Coppola, was trying for one. There is a great scene in which Murray is playing golf, on a beautiful green course, alone, and with an incredible Mt. Fuji as a backdrop. What a lucky guy, we think. How can he be so unhappy? But very quickly after we are again manipulated into believing that things truly are an awful nightmare for him, and that it is only his burgeoning relationship and his quirky sense of humor that are pulling him through. Some nightmare. This basic contradiction is why the movie fails. Why should we, the nine-to-five, slobbering, popcorn-fed public, feel sorry for this self-centered, pampered ass? So it misses, and misses badly. It may be Murray, who is clearly out of his league, playing the role the same way he's played everything else: the wise-cracking, likable, sardonic smart-aleck. (How can he have been nominated for an Academy award for this? He's done it forever and it is clearly out of place here.) Or is it Coppola, who was unable to rein him in, or perhaps too inexperienced to have a firmer understanding of this subtle theme? Hard to tell. It should be said, though, that this is not an awful or horrible movie. Indeed, from a director so young, it shows a great deal of promise. But to have been successful the film needed a director with far more maturity, or an actor with far, far more depth.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Melancholy, Recommended for Cynics.
Review: What a charming and powerful this movie is! Clearly, with 880 reviews and counting, this movie doesn't leave anyone indifferent. Unfortunately too many people don't seem to appreciate the subtlety and simplicity of Sofia Coppola's minimalistic script, where the characters communicate in understatements, and not in multistoreyed grammatically correct sentences like in so many amateur pseudo-cult movies these days("Clerks" being the apex of needless verbosity). The characters, like all the real humans, and not cinematic dummies, don't have all the answers. They only feel that the answers to life's questions are hard to get on our own. Perhaps the answers they're looking for lie in the very process of communicating and sharing their experiences and feelings. Bill Murray's acting is flawless, with exactly the right amount of dull desperation and weariness. I can't remember any actor making better use of his facial expressions and voice. And of course there are some great trademark one-liners, mostly tragicomic. Scarlett Johansson's acting is very grown-up, introspective and very very subtle. She effectively plays a woman at the beginning of her life path, when all the roads are open, yet none of them seems to be the right way to go. Tokyo is a perfectly surreal backdrop for the brief encounter and surprising friendship of the two main protagonists. Their cynicism (Charlotte: "I guess you're going thru a midlife crisis now. Have you bought your Porsche yet?", Bob: "No, but I was thinking about it") draws them to one another, while their hopefulness keeps them together. At the very end of the movie, the farewell scene is both exhilarating and reaffirming. We don't hear what Bob whispers to Charlotte, but one can imagine those words are the words of hope and love. DVD edition includes wonderful deleted scenes, which are as good as the scenes in the final cut of the movie, as well as an instructive conversation with Sofia Coppola and her collaborators. The Widescreen format of the film is a great advantage of the DVD edition: Tokyo is meant to be shown in widescreen, in all of its futuristic splendor. All in all, the film is touching, beautiful, poignant, yet ultimately uplifting.
Rating:
Summary: Just Lost.....
Review: Normally love Bill Murrary but this one is a real stinker.
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